Matching Card Game and Method of Play

ABSTRACT

An interactive image matching game and method of play. The matching game includes a plurality of expression cards each having a first indicia indicating a descriptive word and a plurality of sheets of paper each having a second indicia showing a partial image. In play, a player selects an expression card and then completes a first picture incorporating the second indicia within the first picture. The player places the first picture in a secret container and selects a second picture drawn by a second player from the container. The first player guesses the identity of the second player based on the second picture. Further, the first player guesses the word displayed on the expression card received by the second player based on the second picture. Points are acquired with correct guesses. A timer is used to account for a duration in which a player has to complete a first drawing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/255,655 filed on Nov. 16, 2015. The above identified patentapplication is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety toprovide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to matching games. More specifically, thepresent invention provides a game and method of play comprisingexpression cards each having a descriptive word thereon and sheets ofpaper each having a partial image thereon, wherein a first playercompletes a picture on a sheet of paper that illustrates the word andincorporates the partial image.

Many children and adults enjoy drawing and playing interactive gameswith one another. Existing games that incorporate a player drawing animage rely on the artistry of the player, who must draw an image fromscratch. Therefore, there exists a need for a game and method of playthat allows a player to incorporate a sheet of paper with a partialimage pre-printed thereon.

Devices have been disclosed in the known art that relate to matchingcard games. These include devices that have been patented and publishedin patent application publications. These devices generally relate to afirst player drawing an image on a blank paper and a second playerguessing the name of the image. These devices fail to disclose a gameand a method of play comprising a partial image pre-printed on a sheetof paper, wherein a player incorporates the partial image in a picturein relation to an expression card indicating a descriptive word, wherebythe identity of the player and word are guessed by another player.

In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted thatthe present invention substantially diverges in design elements from theprior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the artfor an improvement to existing matching card games and methods of play.In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofmatching card games and methods of play now present in the prior art,the present invention provides a new matching card game and method ofplay wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for theuser when playing an interactive matching card game with one or moreadditional players.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved matching card game and method of play that has all of theadvantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. The matchingcard game includes a timer, a secret container, a plurality ofexpression cards each having a first indicia that indicates a word, suchas an adjective, adverb, or other descriptive word, and a plurality ofsheets of paper each having a second indicia showing a partial image. Inplay, a player selects an expression card and then completes a firstpicture, within a pre-determined amount of time, incorporating thesecond indicia within the first picture. The player places the firstpicture in the secret container and selects a second picture drawn by asecond player from the secret container. The first player guesses theidentity of the second player based on the second picture. Further, thefirst player guesses the descriptive word displayed on the expressioncard received by the second player based on the second picture. Pointsare acquired with correct guesses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an embodiment of the matching card game.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a method of play of the matching card game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the matching card game and method of play. For the purposesof presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention,the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for playing aninteractive matching card game with one or more additional players. Thefigures are intended for representative purposes only and should not beconsidered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a diagram of an embodiment ofthe matching card game. The matching card game includes a timer 14, asecret container 18, a plurality of expression cards 12 each having afirst indicia 13 indicating a descriptive word, and a plurality ofsheets of paper 15 each having a second indicia 17 showing a partialimage. In the illustrated embodiment, the timer 14 is an hourglass sandtimer. However, in alternate embodiments, any suitable timer 14 is used,such as a digital timer. The timer 14 is adapted to alert a player whena predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

The secret container 18 comprises a base 19, one or more sidewalls 20and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. The secret container18 is adapted to collect the plurality of sheets of paper 15 thereinonce a player has drawn a picture thereon. A lid 21 removably covers theupper end of the secret container 18. The secret container 18 iscomposed of a material, such as solid or translucent material, adaptedto prevent a player to view through the sidewalls 20 of the container 18to see objects disposed within the interior volume. In the illustratedembodiment, the lid 21 comprises a movable flap 22 disposed at one endof the lid 21 that allows a player to deposit a sheet of paper withinthe container 18 without being able to view the interior volume of thecontainer 18. In some embodiments, the lid 21 comprises a slotconfigured to receive the sheet of paper 15.

In the illustrated embodiment, each expression card 12 is rectangular inshape and comprises the first indicia 13 on a front surface thereof. Thefirst indicia 13 is a word such as an adjective, adverb, or descriptiveword. A non-exhaustive list of words are pretty, creepy, big, happy,hairy, mad, ugly, long, hard, funny, scary, old, cold, and wet, amongothers. In the illustrated embodiment, the first indicia 13 is a word,however, in alternate embodiments, the first indicia 13 comprises anysuitable manner of conveying a description, such as emoticons.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of sheets of paper 15 arecompiled in the form of a notepad 16, wherein each player receives anotepad during play. The second indicia 17 is disposed on a frontsurface of each sheet 15. The second indicia is a pre-printed partialimage. The pre-printed sheet of paper 15 is configured to receivewriting thereon such that a player can complete the partial image andtransform it into a first picture.

In the illustrated embodiment, a sheet of paper 15 from each of fournotepads 16 are shown. The first notepad shows a partial image of aflower, whereas the second notebook shows a mouth or a partial image ofa person's face. The third notepad shows a water line and the fourthnotebook shows a pair of eyes. At the initiation of the game, the secondindicia 17 has no relation to any specific expression card 12 or firstindicia 13 disposed thereon. However, during the game, a player createsa first picture on the sheet of paper incorporating the second indicia17 within the picture. The objective of the player is to express thefirst indicia, the descriptive word, by illustration on the firstpicture.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a diagram of a method of play ofthe matching card game. Each player is distributed a notepad havingpre-printed sheets of paper therein, wherein each sheet of paperincludes a second indicia. In play, a first player chooses an expressioncard 101. The expression card will have a first indicia thereonindicating a descriptive word in which the first player will have toillustrate on a sheet of paper. The first player selects a first sheetof paper 102. In some embodiments, the selection of the sheet of paperis random, wherein the player must choose without knowing what thesecond indicia is on the sheet. In other embodiments, the first playerchooses the sheet of paper knowing the appearance of the second indiciaprior to choosing.

The first player forms a first picture on the sheet of paper 103. Theobjective of the drawing is to illustrate the descriptive word shown onthe expression card on the sheet of paper in a pre-determined amount oftime. Further, the first player incorporates the second indicia withinthe first picture 104. The pre-printed sheet of paper having the secondindicia thereon guides the first player in forming the illustration thatis adapted to communicate the descriptive word to a second playerthrough the first picture. For example, a first player chooses anexpression card having the first indicia “old.” The sheet of paperselected by the first player includes a second indicia as an open circlepre-printed on the sheet. The first player draws a record incorporatingthe open circle as the perimeter of the record to communicate to asecond player that the descriptive word he or she is drawing is “old.”

The first player deposits the sheet of paper with the first picturewithin the secret container 105. Steps 101-105 are repeated until allplayers have deposited a first picture within the secret container 110.However, in the illustrated embodiment, the duration of thepre-determined time allowed to complete a drawing is performedsimultaneously with all of the players participating in the game. Onceall the first pictures are deposited, the first player selects a secondsheet of paper from the secret container 106 in a manner in which theplayer is unable to see the interior of the container to avoid learningwhat the second sheet of paper contains prior to choosing.

The second sheet of paper includes a second picture that has been drawnby another player. The first player then attempts to match the playerthat created the second picture 107. If the first player identifies thecorrect other player that created the second picture, the first playerreceives a point 108. Players accumulate points for each correct playeridentified. Steps 106-108 are repeated until all of the second pictureshave been selected 111. In some embodiments, a first player receives anadditional point if he or she correctly identifies the descriptive worddisplayed on the expression card received by the second player based onthe second picture. A winner is chosen based on the player that hasaccumulated the most points.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A matching card game, comprising: a plurality of expressioncards, wherein each expression card comprises a first indicia indicatinga descriptive word; a plurality of sheets of paper, wherein a secondindicia is pre-printed on each of the plurality of sheets of paper; atimer; a secret container having a base, one or more sidewalls, an openupper end, defining an interior volume configured to receive theplurality of sheets of paper. 2) The matching card game of claim 1,wherein the first indicia is a word. 3) The matching card game of claim1, wherein the second indicia is a partial image. 4) The matching cardgame of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a lid having a flap onan end. 5) The matching card game of claim 1, further comprising anotebook that binds the plurality of sheets along a side. 6) A method ofplaying a matching card game comprising: choosing an expression card,wherein the expression card comprises a first indicia indicating adescriptive word; choosing a first sheet of paper from a notepad,wherein the first sheet of paper comprises a second indicia; forming afirst picture on the first sheet of paper that illustrates thedescriptive word, wherein the step of drawing is completed in apre-determined amount of time; incorporating the second indicia withinthe first picture; depositing the first sheet of paper with the firstpicture within a secret container; selecting a second sheet of paperincluding a second picture from the secret container; matching a secondplayer that created the second picture; accumulating a point for everycorrect player identified. 7) The method playing a matching card game ofclaim 6, further comprising identifying the word displayed on theexpression card received by the second player based on the secondpicture.